I would like to introduce to you a free Rubik's cube software that I came across on the net. The software is developed by Gabbasoft and it is still in beta stage, hence there are not many features available yet, but it is quite good. Here is the link to download it:
http://www.gabbasoft.com/download.htm
It does not take up much space on your hard disk, and the download time is quite short.
The virtual cube is not very user-friendly to beginners, so I will be teaching you how to use it.
Once you start the program, a small window will appear. In the centre of the screen is the virtual Rubik's cube. You start off with an already solved 3 X 3 X 3 cube. At the bottom right corner of the window is a clock to time you when you are solving the cube. At the top left corner are four buttons. The first one has a down and up arrow, which allows you to increase the dimensions of your cube (4 X 4 X 4, 5 X 5 X5, etc.). The second button fixes your messed up cube immediately. The third one is to allow the program to mess up your cube. You will be timed only after this is done so. The last button is a return arrow but I don't know the use of it.
To view the other sides of the cube, just click on the empty space and hold, then drag your mouse. You can only move the top, bottom, left, right, center, and back sides of the cube when solving it. To move the front side of the cube which you are facing, you have to change the view and move it to any of the above mentioned sides.
Here is a demo of the software. Video uploaded by Youtube user "Mattmcd1":
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Keyboard shortcuts
Here are a few keyboard shortcuts which may come in handy:
Alt-Tab: Allows you to flip through windows
Alt-F6: Allows to flip through windows which are of the same program
Alt-Shift: Switches between typing languages (English and Chinese)
Alt-L Shift-Num lock: Switches on Mousekeys (an option which allows you to control your cursor without your mouse)
Alt-Enter: Shows the Properties window of the item that is selected
Alt-F4: Closes the current window
Ctrl +/- OR Ctrl Scroll: Zooms in and out in browser windows
Ctrl-Alt-Del: Brings up the task manager
Ctrl-W: Closes the current tab
Ctrl-C: Copies selected text/item
Ctrl-V:Pastes selected text/item
Ctrl-C: Cuts selected text/item
Ctrl-F: Brings up the Find bar in browser window
Ctrl-H: Shows the History sidebar (contains all the webpages which you have visited)
Win key-L: Allows you to switch user accounts if you are using the Fast User Switching, locks the computer otherwise
Alt-Tab: Allows you to flip through windows
Alt-F6: Allows to flip through windows which are of the same program
Alt-Shift: Switches between typing languages (English and Chinese)
Alt-L Shift-Num lock: Switches on Mousekeys (an option which allows you to control your cursor without your mouse)
Alt-Enter: Shows the Properties window of the item that is selected
Alt-F4: Closes the current window
Ctrl +/- OR Ctrl Scroll: Zooms in and out in browser windows
Ctrl-Alt-Del: Brings up the task manager
Ctrl-W: Closes the current tab
Ctrl-C: Copies selected text/item
Ctrl-V:Pastes selected text/item
Ctrl-C: Cuts selected text/item
Ctrl-F: Brings up the Find bar in browser window
Ctrl-H: Shows the History sidebar (contains all the webpages which you have visited)
Win key-L: Allows you to switch user accounts if you are using the Fast User Switching, locks the computer otherwise
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Blogging scandal
Hi everyone, since we are doing blogging these two terms, I have decided to post about one of the blogging scandals in Singapore which attracted a lot of media attention a few years back. Some of you may have a little memory of this incident. For those of you who may forgotten, I shall enlighten you now.
A man named Derek Wee posted in his blog and talked about his views on certain matters in Singapore (http://derekwee.blogspot.com/). Wee Shu Min, an RJC student at that time, responded with comments (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wee_Shu_Min) deemed inappropriate by some.
This scandal took place in 2006 and received a lot of public attention. Wee Shu Min, after the incident, apologised for her comments and removed the post, also shutting down the blog.
A man named Derek Wee posted in his blog and talked about his views on certain matters in Singapore (http://derekwee.blogspot.com/). Wee Shu Min, an RJC student at that time, responded with comments (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wee_Shu_Min) deemed inappropriate by some.
This scandal took place in 2006 and received a lot of public attention. Wee Shu Min, after the incident, apologised for her comments and removed the post, also shutting down the blog.
Friday, May 8, 2009
George Orwell and Animal Farm
We have done quite a bit of analysis of Animal Farm in this term and I am sure that everyone knows what this short but interesting novel is about. As we all know, Animal Farm was written by George Orwell to show his dislike of totalitarianism. I will not elaborate further about the content, but instead, tell you a little more of book and its author's history.
George Orwell was born in British India and at that time, his father was a British civil servant (a person working for the government). He attended an Anglican parish school and then St. Cyprian's School for secondary school education. His schoolmates came from better famiy backgrounds and unhappy experiences there inspired him later to write an essay called "Such, Such Were the Joys" which described those childhood memories. At St. Cyprian's, he wrote two poems which won him a prize and thus earned himself a scholarship to the prestigious Eton College. Later, as his parents could no longer afford to send him to university, he joined the Indian Imperial Police after passing the entrance examinations.
He wrote the draft of Animal Farm between 1943 and 1944 after the Spanish Civil War, a war that took place in Spain from 1936 to 1939. Many publishers refused to publish Animal Farm because of the politics which were concerned inside the novel. Finally, one publisher, Secker and Warburg, agreed and published the book in 1945. The first edition was released in England on 17 August, 1945. Many years later, it was featured in the Times magazine and also recognised as one of the "Great Books of the Western World".
George Orwell was born in British India and at that time, his father was a British civil servant (a person working for the government). He attended an Anglican parish school and then St. Cyprian's School for secondary school education. His schoolmates came from better famiy backgrounds and unhappy experiences there inspired him later to write an essay called "Such, Such Were the Joys" which described those childhood memories. At St. Cyprian's, he wrote two poems which won him a prize and thus earned himself a scholarship to the prestigious Eton College. Later, as his parents could no longer afford to send him to university, he joined the Indian Imperial Police after passing the entrance examinations.
He wrote the draft of Animal Farm between 1943 and 1944 after the Spanish Civil War, a war that took place in Spain from 1936 to 1939. Many publishers refused to publish Animal Farm because of the politics which were concerned inside the novel. Finally, one publisher, Secker and Warburg, agreed and published the book in 1945. The first edition was released in England on 17 August, 1945. Many years later, it was featured in the Times magazine and also recognised as one of the "Great Books of the Western World".
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Chess
Chess is simply a board game played with 6 pieces each on white and black's side. To win, you have to checkmate the king. If the king is under attack and there is no way to remove the threat immediately, then the king is considered checkmated, and the winning player will gain one point (checkmate 1-0). However, if the game ends in a draw due to insufficient material to checkmate, or because of other reasons, both players gain half a point each (draw 1/2-1/2, stalemate 1/2 - 1/2).
There are 6 pieces in chess: the pawn, rook, bishop, knight, queen and king.
The pawn-It can only advance one square and can capture if a piece is on the immediate diagonal square opposite it. It is able to advance two squares when it is still on its starting square.
The rook-It can move any number of squares horizontally or vertically and can capture if a piece is in its path.
The bishop-It can move any number of squares diagonally and can capture if a piece is its path.
The knight-It can only move in a L-shape (advance three squares horizontally/vertically and move one square horizontally/vertically), and can capture if a piece is on the final square that it lands on.
The queen-It can any number of squares horizontally, vertically or diagonally and can capture if a piece is in its path.
The king-t is only able to advance one square horizontally, vertically or diagonally and can capture if a piece is on the square it moves to. It is the most important piece in the game and if under check (under attack), the check has to be removed in the current move, otherwise it is checkmate and the opponent wins.
On the board, the pieces are arranged in this manner:
Pawn-p, rook-r, bishop-b, knight-n, king-k, queen-q
White-caps, black-small
r-n-b-q-k-b-n-r
p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p
-----------------
-----------------
-----------------
-----------------
P-P-P-P-P-P-P-P
R-N-B-Q-K-B-N-R
Note that the queens occupy squares of their own colour, and kings occupy squares opposite their colour instead.
I have embedded a video of a game between two chess grandmasters. Video uploaded by Youtube user "pearlclouds".
There are 6 pieces in chess: the pawn, rook, bishop, knight, queen and king.
The pawn-It can only advance one square and can capture if a piece is on the immediate diagonal square opposite it. It is able to advance two squares when it is still on its starting square.
The rook-It can move any number of squares horizontally or vertically and can capture if a piece is in its path.
The bishop-It can move any number of squares diagonally and can capture if a piece is its path.
The knight-It can only move in a L-shape (advance three squares horizontally/vertically and move one square horizontally/vertically), and can capture if a piece is on the final square that it lands on.
The queen-It can any number of squares horizontally, vertically or diagonally and can capture if a piece is in its path.
The king-t is only able to advance one square horizontally, vertically or diagonally and can capture if a piece is on the square it moves to. It is the most important piece in the game and if under check (under attack), the check has to be removed in the current move, otherwise it is checkmate and the opponent wins.
On the board, the pieces are arranged in this manner:
Pawn-p, rook-r, bishop-b, knight-n, king-k, queen-q
White-caps, black-small
r-n-b-q-k-b-n-r
p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p
-----------------
-----------------
-----------------
-----------------
P-P-P-P-P-P-P-P
R-N-B-Q-K-B-N-R
Note that the queens occupy squares of their own colour, and kings occupy squares opposite their colour instead.
I have embedded a video of a game between two chess grandmasters. Video uploaded by Youtube user "pearlclouds".
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